Catholic Church Reinstates Guilty Ohioan Priest

Not learning the lessons of the past, the Catholic Church seems destined to repeat its own mistakes. Why does the Church want to place itself in harm’s way and reinstate a priest that was not found innocent, but guilty and remanded to counseling, back into its work force?

The reason for the reinstatement: “After a number of years, it can be very difficult to establish the truth,” said Dan Andriacco, spokesman for the archdiocese quoted by the Guardian Unlimited.

A Roman Catholic priest suspended in 2002 over allegations of sexual misconduct has been reinstated and will return to active ministry, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati said.

The archdiocese announced the decision by the Vatican to reinstate the Rev. James Kiffmeyer on Friday. The archdiocese has not decided where Kiffmeyer will serve.

How about ministering in Antartica or in prisons? Don’t tell me they are thinking of putting him into a parish?

Two students had accused Kiffmeyer, who previously taught at Elder High School in Cincinnati and Fenwick High School in Middletown, of abusing them in 1990 and around 1986, respectively, but didn’t report the allegations until 1997 and April 2002. Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk placed Kiffmeyer on paid administrative leave in 2002.

Kiffmeyer also was accused of providing alcohol to the students, but both students were at least 18 at the time of the alleged offenses, according to the archdiocese. In Ohio, an 18-year-old person is legally an adult but must be 21 to drink alcohol. Kiffmeyer denied the allegations.

While on administrative leave, Kiffmeyer could not celebrate the sacraments, including saying Mass, or perform other clerical duties. Kiffmeyer appealed to the Vatican, which ruled the students waited too long to report the allegations.

A spokeswoman for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests was outraged by the Vatican’s ruling.

“Kiffmeyer was removed because of an allegation that the archdiocese found to be credible,” said network spokeswoman Christy Miller. “I don’t understand how he could be allowed to return to ministry after that.”

The archdiocese said Kiffmeyer was reinstated after receiving counseling. Under church law, people have a five-year time limit for making such allegations, the archdiocese said.